Maha Ganapathim

My song:
maha.mp3

taaLam: aadi
Composer: Muttuswaamee Dikshitar
Language: Sanskrit



pallavi
mahaa gaNapatim manasaa smaraami
mahaa gaNapatim vasishTa vaama dEvAdi vandita (mahaa)

Dikshithar starts off with a very small pallavi singing "I medidate and recite('Smaraami') with my whole heart('Manasa') on the supreme Lord Ganapathy, he who is worshipped by('Vandhitha') sage Vashista, Vaamadeva and others('aadhi')". Very simple but extremely open-ended for improvisation and I have heard so many different versions of the pallavi alone which once again is because of the flexibility characteristic of all dikshithar krithis. The entire scale and important phrases of the raga are brilliantly captured in the opening lines itself.

anupallavi
mahaa dEva sutam guruguha nutam
maara kOTi prakaasham shaantam
mahaa kaavya naaTakaadi priyam mooshika vaahanaa mOdhaka priyam

Dikshithar continues describing Lord Ganesha as "He is the son('sutham') of Lord Mahadeva, adored('nutham') by Guruguha. He shines('Prakaasham') like crores('koti') of cupids('maara') put together. He is the peaceful one('Shaantham') and loves('priyam') literary epics('Mahakaavya') and other arts like Drama('Naataka'). He uses a mouse('mooshika') as his vehicle('vaahana') and loves modhakam(a popular sweet)." Not much to explain in the charanam except for the beautiful inclusion of the raga mudhra ingeniously incorporated in the word 'Naataka' referring to drama.
The characteristic 'Sa Ri3' phrase embellishes this composition.

excerpts from:http://nadhasudharasa.blogspot.com/2007/01/mahaganapathim-and-vallabha-naayaksya.html